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Over the last 40 years in the eastern U.S., there has been an increase in the frequency during warm months of 30-day periods when there is no rain. These dry spells now occur about twice as often as they did in the 1960′s. Rainfall events push water through municipal sewer and storm water systems. During [...]

In the late nineteenth and twentieth Centuries, much of the farmland in the Eastern United States was abandoned as the population became more urbanized. These abandoned farms reverted back to forest and many bird populations, including the Black-throated Blue Warbler, rebounded along with the woods. Now is the time of year when this bird makes [...]

United States households turn on their water faucets an average of 70 times each day. It is estimated that up to 50 percent of this household water is wasted, and could be saved by implementing simple conservation methods. Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter (Source: The Superior Waters Project. “Freshwater Facts”. 2006. Available at: http://wildernessclassroom.com/superior/2006/07/freshwater_facts.html.)

The average US citizen uses 100 gallons of water per day! And most of this water is used for toilet flushing and watering of lawns and gardens. Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter (Source: Water for People. “Water, A Precious Natural Resource”. On display at the National Botanical Gardens Exhibit– One Planet: Ours. #27 on Virtual [...]

It takes an enormous amount of water to grow crops! Almost 70% of all available freshwater on the planet is used for agricultural purposes. Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter (Source: International Year of Freshwater. “Facts and Figures: Did You Know?” 2003. Available at: www.wateryear2003.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=1462&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html.)

Did you know that more than half of Florida’s highest quality drinking water is used for irrigation Drinking water comes mostly from underground aquifers that are replenished only by rainwater. Often, the amount of water being used by humans is much greater than the amount that is recharged by rainwater. Because of these factors, conserving [...]

As of January 2008, more than 68 percent of Florida was in an “abnormally dry” condition, and 33 percent of the state was experiencing “moderate drought.” Moderate drought means that there may be damage to crops and pastures, lower water levels in rivers and streams, and increased fire risk. While areas of Florida along the [...]

Did you know that 33.5 trillion gallons of water are withdrawn annually from Alabama’s streams and rivers to provide 56 percent of the state’s population with drinking water? In addition to providing our drinking water, this water supports the diverse aquatic life forms found in the state. Alabama’s rivers are among the most biologically diverse [...]

The southeastern United States has been experiencing persistent drought over the past several years, which has resulted in declining resevoirs, crop damage and water use restrictions. Drought is a normal, naturally recurring climate cycle that is defined differently in each region. Generally, a drought is a period of deficient rainfall (based on the local average) [...]

A rainstorm, even a heavy one, will not always have an impact on replenishing groundwater supply during a time of drought. Often times, the volume of water falling exceeds the natural ability of the soil to absorb water. The water that does infiltrate into the ground may take weeks to reach the groundwater aquifer, meaning [...]

The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center forecasts a slight improvement in drought conditions throughout the middle-Mississippi Valley eastward, and southward from October through December, meaning that the Southeast may see some alleviation of drought conditions. However, because drought conditions persist in the region right now, it is extremely important to continue conserving water. Viewer [...]

With a large section of the Southeastern U.S. experiencing abnormally dry and drought conditions, it is important to keep water conservation in mind. Viewer Tip: These easy, inexpensive tips will help you create a yard and garden that requires less water – and may even help lower your water bills! Reduce Container Plantings. These often [...]

Did you know that an average roof sheds 160 gallons of water per hour during an average rainfall? According to the Georgia Wildlife Federation, during this period of extended drought in the southeastern U.S., rain barrels are becoming a popular, inexpensive and easy source of collecting rainwater for outdoor use. By placing the barrels uphill [...]

At more than 49,400 square miles (128,000 square kilometers), lawns in the U.S. cover three times more area than corn crops, making them the largest irrigated crop in the country! The typical home lawn only needs about one-inch of water per week – including water received from rainfall – which means that you can save [...]

Freshwater is one of the most important and sought after resources for humans. But did you know that 97 percent of the world’s water supply is saltwater, or otherwise undrinkable, and another 2 percent is tied up in polar ice caps? This leaves a comparably small amount of freshwater that can be used to meet [...]

As of 2003, more than 19 million people (13 percent of the U.S. coastal population) lived along the Gulf of Mexico coast from Florida to Texas and the coastal population in this Region is expected to have grown by about seven percent by 2008. A growing coastal population can also mean growing impacts on the [...]

Mobile Bay’s commercial oyster reefs have been struggling to survive in recent years. After large portions were covered with sediment during Hurricanes Ivan and Katrina in 2005, two drought years created high salinity in the water. High salinity levels allowed a type of snail called the oyster drill, a threat to oysters, to flourish, decimating [...]